'Matter of Serious Concern': Court on Missing Inquiry File About Security of AugustaWestland Accused

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday (June 9) said that it is a matter of “serious concern” that an inquiry file about the security arrangements for jailed AugustaWestland case accused Christian Michel James.

After it was informed to the court that the report was "not traceable despite best efforts”, special judge Sanjay Jindal directed Tihar authorities to file the report by July 7, reported Press Trust of India.

"Considering the seriousness of the issues raised by the accused and the facts which have come on record during recent hearings on the grievance of James, it is matter of serious concern that the case file of the inquiry on the basis of which report dated August 29, 2019 was given, is not traceable," said the court.

Earlier, Michel had alleged that there was a "pre-planned conspiracy" to eliminate him in the jail by his enemies related to this case by poisoning him. The court was hearing his plea seeking a re-look at the findings of an inquiry report dated August 29, 2019 on the security arrangements for him inside the prison.

"Let the DG (Prisons), Tihar Jail, be asked to trace and produce the above inquiry file and in case the case file is still not traceable, then, to submit a report regarding the facts and circumstances leading to untraceability of the inquiry file, on next date of hearing,” said special judge Jindal.

On their part, the jail authorities termed the allegations of Michel, a British national, to be based on “surmises and conjectures” and said that he didn’t have any threat to his life.

In March this year, the Delhi high court had granted bail to Michel in the corruption case after over six years in custody. The high court had noted the case as exceptional, highlighting that though Michel had been in custody for the last six years and two months, the trial had not yet begun due to incomplete investigation.

On February 18 this year, the Supreme Court also granted him bail in a related case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) depending on conditions decided by the trial court.

However on March 7, appearing before the court of special judge Sanjeev Aggarwal, Michel asked that because of “security risks”, he be allowed to remain in Delhi’s Tihar jail and complete his sentence.

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